At first glimpse of this magazine’s cover, you probably didn’t notice that we manipulated the epic painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware to include a boatful of famous Americans. You were not alone. Our eyes see Washington, the boat, and the flag—and simply assume that it’s a reproduction of the iconic painting by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze.

For the celebration of our 60th anniversary, we wanted to shake things up a bit—and suggest that we should all take a closer look at our history. We might be surprised at what we find.

For weeks our Rockville, Maryland, offices buzzed as the editorial staff debated about whom we should include on the boat. We suspect—and sincerely hope—that you have your own strong opinions. Let us know what you think of our choice. We do know that you’ll agree that these men and women all deserve credit for grabbing an oar and moving the ship of state forward.